Warhawks, Ragin' Cajuns top preseason poll

Monday

Jul 15, 2013 at 2:50 PMJul 15, 2013 at 2:52 PM

Sun Belt Conference Media Days

Alexander Edwards

After winning the Sun Belt Conference Offensive Player of the Year award in 2012, ULM quarterback Kolton Browning was named the 2013 SBC Preseason Offensive Player of the Year and was one of five Warhawks to be named to the Preseason All-SBC team, the league office announced Monday.The Warhawks were picked to win a share of the league title in the Preseason SBC Poll, receiving the same amount of votes as UL-Lafayette.Wide receiver Je’Ron Hamm and offensive lineman Josh Allen garnered recognition on the offensive side on the Preseason All-SBC team, while Kentarius Caldwell and Isaiah Newsome were selected from the ULM defense.Browning, a native of Mabank, Texas, garnered second-team All-SBC and All-Louisiana honors in 2012 after a strong season. He started 12 games and finished with 3,049 passing yards, completing 273-of-428 attempts. Both the yards and completions set school records. Browning etched a spot on the Maxwell Award Watch List during the mid-point of the season.The senior tied the single-season program record with 29 touchdown passes and also led the team in rushing attempts (146), yards (488) and touchdowns (seven). Additionally, Browning led the conference in total offense (294.8 ypg), touchdown passes and finished third in passing yards. His total offense clip ranked 21st in the nation.Browning finished the 2012 campaign at the top of the career touchdown passing chart with 60 and ranks second in career passing yards (8,084), career passing attempts (1,225), and career pass completions (751).One of Browning’s targets this season will be Hamm, a Leesville, La. product. Hamm started 11 games last season and was named All-Sun Belt Honorable Mention after recording 62 catches for 915 yards and six touchdowns. In ULM’s 34-31 victory at No. 8 Arkansas, Hamm caught six passes for 92 yards.The senior receiver tallied back-to-back 100-yard receiving games last season at Arkansas State and North Texas. Against the Red Wolves, Hamm brought in 102 yards on a career-high nine receptions. The following week, he posted a career-best 119 yards against the Mean Green with a pair of touchdowns, including Browning’s record setting 56th career TD pass.Rounding out the offense, Allen earned Preseason All-SBC accolades after tallying All-SBC Second-Team and All-Louisiana Honorable Mention honors in 2012. Allen, a senior from Cedar Hill, Texas, started all 13 games at center last year and was part of an offensive line that helped ULM out-gain No. 8 Arkansas 550 to 377 yards.Allen anchored an offensive line that guided the Warhawks to 500 or more yard of offense in four of first five games (Arkansas, Baylor, Tulane and Middle Tennessee), including 262 rushing yards against Baylor. He also helped create space for 516 yards of offense against North Texas.On the defensive end, senior Newsome returns in the secondary after starting all 13 games in 2012. He was named to both the Second-Team All-SBC and All-Louisiana after recording 57 tackles (36 solo, 21 assisted), a team-high four interceptions and five pass break-ups.A native of Petal, Miss., Newsome ranked in the top-five in the conference in interceptions. He made five stops (two solo) in the win over No. 8 Arkansas and recorded six tackles (three solo) against Baylor. Against the Mean Green, Newsome registered a season-high seven tackles to go along with an interception.Caldwell, a senior from Richardson, Texas, started five games before missing the remainder of the season due to injury. He assisted on four tackles against Baylor, totaled three stops at Auburn and had a tackle and pass breakup at No. 8 Arkansas.During his sophomore season, Caldwell ranked third on team in sacks (3.5) and finished with 27 tackles (13 solo). He had a stellar performance at Troy with four tackles, 1.5 sacks and a pass breakup. At Florida State, Caldwell recorded four stops, including two tackles for a loss and a sack.The 2013 Preseason All-SBC team was voted on by the league’s eight head coaches and eight selected media members.The Warkhawks open the season on Aug. 31 at Oklahoma at 6:00 p.m. on Fox Sports Network (PPV). Their home opener is the following Saturday on Sept. 7 against Grambling State and the contest will air on ESPN3 (time TBA).